"Please excuse us for this mistake. We are sorry we could not get to the final and we will honour the team in the third-place playoff in Brasilia on Saturday."

Scolari accepted responsibility for the defeat, but gave no indication as to whether he intended to stay on as Brazil coach after the tournament.

"Who is the one responsible? I am. This catastrophic result can be shared with the whole group because that is what my players say and want, but I am the one who chooses the tactics, the lineup, so the person responsible for the result is me."